Post-office furniture.



M. s. FIELD. POST OFFICE FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED-AUG. 21, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED MAR. 8, 1904;.

THE NORRXS Firms poq-m-luwq h'nov. ww-lmorum u. c.

' UNITED; STATES Fatented March 8 119 04.

PATENT ()FFICE.

MARCELLUS s. FIELD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

' POST-OFFICE FURNITURE- SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 753,865, dated March 8, 1904.

Application filed August 21, 1903. Serial No. 170,301. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, MARCELLUS S. FIELD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Post-Oifice Furniture, of which thefollowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to an article of furniture which is common inpost-oflices and which is usually termed an assorting-case and is animprovement upon the device illustrated in my Patent N o. 7 32,345,dated-June 30, 1903. In said patent is disclosed an assorting-casecomprising a table and a case of pigeonholes or compartments supportedabove the table on swinging supports, so that said case of pigeonholescan be swung toward and from the front of the table and also toward andfrom the table-top. The construction is such that in all positions ofthe case it is supported sufficiently high above the top of the table,so that the latter is available for the reception of mail-matter.

In my present embodiment I apply to the device above described suitablesteadyingsprings which have for their purpose to steady the swingingmovement of the case of pigeonholes and prevent any tipping or lateralmovement thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a desk such as shown in myformer patent and having my improved springs applied thereto. Fig. 2 isa top plan view of the assorting-table with the case of pigeonholes inits forward position and showing one form of steadyingsprings. Fig. 3 isa similar view showing a slightly-different form of spring.

, The device as a whole comprises the table 3, of any suitable or usualconstruction, and the case of pigeonholes or compartments 5, which aremounted upon'swinging supports, as in my former patent.

In this embodiment of my invention the swinging supports comprise aplurality of struts 6, which are pivoted at one end to any suitablefixed support-as, for instance, to the tableand at the other end to thecase 5,

so that the case can be swung from the full- .line position, Fig. l, tothe dotted-line position to carry it from the back toward the front ofthe table and also toward the top of the table. p 7

Any suitable stop devices may be employed for limiting the movement ofthe case in either direction.

In this embodiment of my invention the stops for limiting the forwardand downward movement of the case5 comprise suitable feet 7 dependingfrom said case and which are adapted to rest upon the table-top, asshown in Fig. 1. These feet are of such a length that they support thecase sufficiently far above the table-top, so that the latter isavailable for the storage of mail-matter even when the case is in itslowered position.

The back board 8 of the table serves as the stop to limit the backwardmovement of the case.

The parts thus far described are substantially the same as thoseillustrated in my aforesaid patent.

To steadythe movement of the case 5 and prevent its tipping or bindingduring its swinging movement, I employ herein suitablesteadying-springs, which are connected at one end to the case and at theother end to the table, preferably to the back board 8 thereof. In Fig.2 these steadying-springs are in the nature of coiled springs 9, whichare fastened on the bottom of the case 5 at each side thereof and to theback board 8 of said table, said springs being crossed, as shown. InFig. 3 the springsare secured to the'same point on the back board 8.

I prefer to detachably connect the springs to the case and the backboard, and in this form of my invention this is accomplished by pro-.viding the ends of each spring with suitable hooks 10, which are hookedin the eyes 11 in the back board and case 5, respectively. v:Any othersuitable way, however,-of making the springs detachable may be employedwithout departing from the invention.

While I have herein shown coiled springs, I do not wish to be limited tothis form of spring, as any suitable spring which results in steadyingthe case during its swinging movement may be employed. without departingfrom the invention.

I prefer to so place the springs that they are disposed to oppose themovement of the case toward the front of the table, this being hereinaccomplished by making the point of attachment of the spring to thetable lower than the point of attachment of said springs to the case 5.

It will be obvious that the details of construction may be variedgreatly without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, a table, an assorting-case abovethe table, swinging supports for said asserting-case, and steadyingsprings to steady said case during its swinging movement.

2. In a device of the class described, a table, an assorting-case,swinging supports for said case, and steadying-springs connecting saidcase and table and operating to steady the former during its swingingmovement.

8. In a device of the class described, a table, an assorting-casemounted to swing toward and from the front of the table, andsteadying-springs connecting said case and table and wa es operating tosteady the former in its swinging movement.

4:. In a device of the class described, a table, an assorting-case,means to support said case for movement toward and from the table andalso toward and from the front of the table, and steadying-springsdisposed to oppose the mglrement of the case toward the front of the tae.

5. In a device of the class described, a table, an assorting-casemounted for movement toward and from said table and also toward and fromthe front of the table, steadying-springs connecting said case and theback of the table, the point of attachment between the springs and backof the table being lower than that between the springs and the case.

6. In a device of'the class described, a table, an assorting-casemounted for swinging movement toward and from the table, and detachablesteadying-springs connecting the table and case and operating to steadythe latter in its swinging movement. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARCELLUS S. FIELD.

Witnesses:

LOUIS 0. SMITH, J OHN G. EDWARDS.

